The employees at the member firms of HLB collaborate closely in person (and most of the time also in a hybrid office model) on projects and assignments to serve our clients in the best possible manner, and provide them with suitable and innovative solutions. They work closely together as a team, because we believe that you can have more impact and better decision making, using diverse skill sets and viewpoints. In the wider network they engage globally on proposals and projects via Teams/Zoom meetings and during regional meetings and global conferences. We have a full stack of technology solutions that make collaboration across the globe even easier.
We have several regional meetings and conferences during the year in Europe, the Middle East and India Subcontinent, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America, the Caribbean and Latin America. Close personal relationships between the members are key to the success of HLB.
Our organisation has been very successful over the years. During the last five years we have twice won the prestigious ‘Network of the Year’ award. That makes people proud and it fuels a positive vision for the future. Recently we have reached the important strategic goal of becoming #10 in the global ranking of worldwide accounting and advisory networks. The success is contagious and brings a positive vibe to our organisation.
We help people thrive and pursue their passion. We believe that people are at their best when they are passionate about their work. We care about the personal and professional development of our people. Helping them thrive at work and outside of work enables us to deliver value and foster a culture of excellence.
A lot of our firms have very active Employee Recource Groups (ERGs) and programs that help to build a diverse and inclusive work environment.
Learning was at the heart of many HLB activities over 2022 for the betterment of our 40,831 people across 1,128 offices around the world. We invested in the implementation of a global HLB Skills Hub, powered by Degreed, to support all HLB people with their upskilling and reskilling efforts. The skills hub is also an internal market place offering our people all kinds of opportunities on a global level.
We are running several interesting learning and development programmes, like for example HLB Engage to support our younger colleagues in their business development efforts. We also introduced a new executive learning programme in partnership with Cambridge University, called HLB Building the Future. Our aim is to continue to build a strong talent pipeline offering opportunities and development programmes for young and ambitious people. These are global initiatives, in addition to the many local development initiatives we have in the firms in different countries and regions.
Establishing a culture of learning through a comprehensive set of training opportunities, supported by HR technology solutions, is imperative to future-proof an organisation and retain its talent. However, to embed this culture effectively, it must be carefully aligned with the business strategy and corporate values.
Our values and behaviours help us to fulfil our purpose to make a positive and sustainable impact.
As a global network with people across 150+ countries, we represent a vastly diverse set of backgrounds, cultures, religions and so on. United by our purpose, our shared values and behaviours are what we have in common. They represent the base on how we act and make decisions, to create the foundation on which we build trust. Our culture invites people to be innovators, regardless of their position within the organisation. We believe that empowering our people to drive change and adopt an innovative mindset helps find better solutions for the future, for themselves and for the organisation.
HLB’s six values and behaviours help us realise our purpose through our everyday interactions. They are a key component in how we execute our business strategy and unlock innovation and growth: we empower change & innovation, trust & transparency, we work together to create sustainable value, we lead with kindness & professionalism, we help people thrive and pursue their passion and we explore the unknown and boldly lead the way..
Next to the input that was already given on the question ‘We support our employees in achieving their professional and personal goals by…’ we have also helped our people by embedding inclusive working environments. Our HLB DEI Council has set clear and ambitious goals for gender diversity and the inclusion of underrepresented groups. We were pleased that over last year there has been an increase of 14% in staff from underrepresented groups and a 15% increase in people who took part in DEI training and activities.
We offer our employees the opportunity to work remote and also with flexible hours in a hybrid work environment, because we are convinced that ‘flexibility’ is a key value driver for creating a Loved Workplace. This is supported by mentoring, coaching, internal mobility and a full stack of learning and development opportunities.
Our CEO is very passionate and committed to the strategy and projects we are working on from the People pillar. Appointing a dedicated Chief People Officer for the network in 2020 was a sign that he sees the importance of people for the success of our organisation. He shows up in person at our meetings and conferences all around the globe and he is accessible for people from all levels, disciplines and countries. He ensures time and time again that he thinks our people and our purpose and values are important. For him this is a key driver in our business success. He walks the talk and lives up to our commitment to the wider community.
A few of the unique benefits of working for HLB:
– We work in small teams which gives staff more opportunities to progress their career. Due to the size and structure of most of our firms we expect staff to interact and work directly with clients, even on junior level.
– Unlike many of the larger networks, we offer our staff opportunities to transfer and work for other business divisions. This gives our staff more flexibility. An employee can either specialise in their chosen field or transfer to something brand new in the firm.
– We believe accounting is not just about numbers. It is also about developing relationships and communicating with clients in a proactive manner. This approach has earned us a number of awards for our exceptional approach towards client service.
– Mentoring and coaching: no matter the level of experience, our people will receive ongoing guidance from team members and partners to help them reach their full potential. We also encourage an open door policy in all offices to promote sharing and discussion.
– As HLB is a worldwide network of independent professional accounting firms we offer secondment programs, which benefit both staff and the firm.
– We provide a number of wellness benefits. Every office’s approach differs, however some of the benefits could include fresh fruit, flu vaccinations, health improvement programs, birthday and anniversary celebrations.
– With active social clubs, sporting teams, staff Christmas parties and end of financial year celebrations there are many opportunities to foster relationships with those outside of your team. Most activities are planned with a mission to create smiles and generate laughter.
– We are proactively working towards reducing our impact on the environment and climate change. Some of the different firm initiatives include actively reducing waste and promoting paper free offices, recycling and eco-purchasing. At a global level we organise a yearly Communities Day to give back to the communities we serve.
HLB is a global network of independent advisory and accounting firms. We have a history of innovation, collaboration and are dedicated to helping clients grow across borders. Through the power of 40,832 professionals across 157 countries, we combine local expertise and global capabilities to service your needs. Our members are locally established with deep roots in their local communities yet are closely connected with professionals from across the world. We support clients as they grow nationally, regionally and globally, ensuring a consistent high-quality client experience and personalised service wherever you operate.
HLB International
123 Buckingham Palace Road
SW1W 9SH London, UK
Accounting, Tax and Advisory services
Marco Donzelli
10000 +
